Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34558969›Full record

SynthesisEnvironmental health perspectives2021

Exposure to Air Pollution in Relation to Risk of Dementia and Related Outcomes: An Updated Systematic Review of the Epidemiological Literature.

Jennifer Weuve, Erin E Bennett, Lynsie Ranker, Kan Z Gianattasio, Meredith Pedde, Sara D Adar, Jeff D Yanosky, Melinda C Power

Abstract readSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Environmental health perspectives, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 112 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
112citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

112 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. Pooled it
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. The association between PMEnvironmental research · 2026
    Article
  9. Review
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Occupational autonomy and cognitive function: the moderating role of educational attainment.The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences · 2026
    Article
  15. Associations between joint air pollution exposure, mental health, and physical health and dementia incidence in an aging U.S. cohort.The journals of gerontology. Series B, Psychological sciences and social sciences · 2026
    Article
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Associations of PMThe Journal of international medical research · 2026
    Article
  19. Article
  20. Article

52 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Jennifer WeuveDepartment of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Erin E BennettDepartment of Epidemiology, The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, DC, USA.
Lynsie RankerDepartment of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Kan Z GianattasioDepartment of Epidemiology, The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, DC, USA.
Meredith PeddeDepartment of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Sara D AdarDepartment of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Jeff D YanoskyDepartment of Public Health Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA.
Melinda C PowerDepartment of Epidemiology, The George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health, Washington, DC, USA.

Funding

Integrting Information About Aging SurveysR01AG030153 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · PI Sara Adar, Alden L. Gross · 2007 to 2026
$41.7M
Leveraging a natural experiment to estimate the causal impact of blood sugar on dementia and cognition in IndiaR01AG051125 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · PI Jinkook Lee · 2015 to 2026
$26.8M
Air Pollution and Alzheimer's Dementia: Neuropathologic and Olfactory Mechanisms in Multi-Ethnic Longitudinal CohortsR01AG067497 · NIA · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · PI PINTO, JAYANT M, WEUVE, JENNIFER · 2020 to 2024
$3.8M
Air pollution, Alzheimer's Disease and Related OutcomesR01ES029509 · NIEHS · GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · PI POWER, MELINDA C · 2018 to 2021
$3.0M
The impact of airborne particles and ozone on cognition, mobility, and health care spending at older ages: Evidence from a nationally-representative longitudinal cohortR01ES028694 · NIEHS · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI ADAR, SARA · 2018 to 2021
$2.3M
Air pollution and noise exposures in relation to dementia: from brain imaging markers to clinical diseaseR01AG065359 · NIA · BOSTON UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CAMPUS · PI WEUVE, JENNIFER · 2020 to 2023
$2.3M
NIA NIH HHS R01 AG030153NIA NIH HHS R01 AG051125NIA NIH HHS R01 AG065359NIA NIH HHS R01 AG067497NIEHS NIH HHS R01 ES028694NIEHS NIH HHS R01 ES029509
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundDementia is a devastating neurologic condition that is common in older adults. We previously reviewed the epidemiological evidence examining the hypothesis that long-term exposure to air pollution affects dementia risk. Since then, the evidence base has expanded rapidly.

objectivesWith this update, we collectively review new and previously identified epidemiological studies on air pollution and late-life cognitive health, highlighting new developments and critically discussing the merits of the evidence.

methodsUsing a registered protocol (PROSPERO 2020 CRD42020152943), we updated our literature review to capture studies published through 31 December 2020, extracted data, and conducted a bias assessment.

resultsWe identified 66 papers (49 new) for inclusion in this review. Cognitive level remained the most commonly considered outcome, and particulate matter (PM) remained the most commonly considered air pollutant. Since our prior review, exposure estimation methods in this research have improved, and more papers have looked at cognitive change, neuroimaging, and incident cognitive impairment/dementia, though methodological concerns remain common. Many studies continue to rely on administrative records to ascertain dementia, have high potential for selection bias, and adjust for putative mediating factors in primary models. A subset of 35 studies met strict quality criteria. Although high-quality studies of fine particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter DISCUSSION: Strong conclusions remain elusive, although the weight of the evidence suggests an adverse association between

Indexed as

Air PollutantsAir PollutionDementiaAgedEnvironmental ExposureHumansParticulate MatterAir PollutantsParticulate Matter

Identifiers

PMID34558969
PMCPMC8462495

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.